Tyres still have biggest impact on driving style - Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen believes tyres will have a bigger impact on driving styles this year than the regulation changes surrounding engines and fuel limits.

Formula One enters a new era this weekend as the V6 turbo power units make their race debuts at the Australian Grand Prix. Additional torque and a 100kg fuel limit has led to speculation over how drivers will have to adapt their styles, but Raikkonen thinks the tyres, which feature harder compounds this year, will be a bigger factor.

"Certainly tyres make a big difference between the drivers and one tyre might suit a driver better than the others, but there's not really going to be a big difference with the rules and how it is between the top drivers," he said. "I don't think it's going to be an awful lot different for any of us.

"The different tyres will change the driving style much more than the rules that have changed. Obviously there is more torque in the engines and you have to be a bit more careful in some areas because there is a bit less grip than last year, but it will vary from race to race. Once we improve the settings it will get easier to control things, but I think we've done a pretty good job with all the details."

But Raikkonen said he will reserve judgement on the way the new races pan out until he has had a chance to take part in one.

"Driving over one lap it's not an awful lot different, but maybe over the race it will be a slightly different story than previous years. Obviously we haven't done any racing yet so it's a bit difficult to say how it will be and if the racing is exciting or not. Let's wait and see what will happen."